Abuse program policies and enforcement

The content policies listed below play an important role in maintaining a positive experience for everyone using Google products. We need to curb abuses that threaten our ability to provide these services, and we ask that everyone abide by the policies below to help us achieve this goal.

These policies apply to content shared using Google Drive. When applying these policies, we may make exceptions based on artistic, educational, documentary, or scientific considerations, or where there are other substantial benefits to the public from not taking action on the content. Be sure to check back from time to time, as these policies may change. Please also refer to Google's Terms of Service for more information.

Report abuse

If you believe that someone is violating the policies found below, report abuse.

To report copyright infringement or other legal issues, please use this tool, which will guide you through the process of reporting content that you believe warrants removal from Google's services based on applicable laws.

Program policies

Please keep our products spam- and malware-free. Spam includes, but is not limited to, unwanted promotional or commercial content and unwanted or mass solicitation. Do not use our products for phishing. Refrain from soliciting or collecting sensitive data, including but not limited to passwords, financial details, and social security numbers. We also do not allow the transmission of malware, viruses, destructive code, or anything that may harm or interfere with the operation of the networks, servers, or other infrastructure of Google or others.

Speak your mind without threatening others. This means that you can publish a disagreement you may have with another person's ideas, but do not threaten to cause serious physical injury or death to that person, or rally support to physically harm others. In most cases, we find that disputes or disagreements are best worked out by the parties directly involved and not by us. However, in cases where there is a serious and imminent physical threat of injury or death, we may take action on the content. Additionally, do not post extremely graphic or violent materials for the sake of disgusting others. Graphic materials may be used to demonstrate a political or social viewpoint, such as with regards to animal abuse or war; however, be sure that you are not being gratuitously graphic.

Our products are platforms for free expression. But we do not support content that promotes or condones violence against individuals or groups based on race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, age, nationality, veteran status, or sexual orientation/gender identity, or whose primary purpose is inciting hatred on the basis of these core characteristics. This can be a delicate balancing act, but if the primary purpose is to attack a protected group, the content crosses the line.

Do not engage in harassing, bullying, or threatening behavior, and do not incite others to engage in these activities. Anyone using our services to single someone out for malicious abuse, to threaten someone with serious harm, to sexualize a person in an unwanted way, or to harass in other ways may have the offending content removed or be permanently banned from using the service. In emergency situations, we may escalate imminent threats of serious harm to law enforcement. Keep in mind that online harassment is also illegal in many places and can have serious offline consequences for both the harasser and the victim.

Do not publish sexually explicit or pornographic images or videos. Writing about adult topics is permitted as long as it is not accompanied by sexually explicit images or videos, or any material that promotes or depicts unlawful or inappropriate sexual acts with children or animals. Additionally, we do not allow content that drives traffic to commercial pornography.

We do allow naturalistic and documentary depictions of nudity (such as an image of a breastfeeding infant), as well as depictions of nudity that serve a clear educational, scientific, or artistic purpose.

Do not upload or share content that exploits or abuses children. This includes all child sexual abuse imagery (even cartoon images) and all content that presents children in a sexual manner. This means that you cannot use our services to create, possess, or distribute child sexual abuse imagery, and you cannot use our services to create a gallery of children's pictures with sexually explicit commentary, for example.

We will remove such content and take appropriate action, which may include disabling accounts and reporting to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and law enforcement.

If you find any content that you think exploits children in this manner, do not comment on such content, even if your intent is to bring it to Google's attention. Instead, flag the content through the ‘Report Abuse' link. If you find content elsewhere on the internet, please contact NCMEC directly.

Do not confuse or mislead others by pretending to be someone else or pretending to represent an organization that you do not represent. You can use parody or satire to make a point, but be sure that you are not misleading others about your true identity.

Do not share personal and confidential information. We do not allow unauthorized publishing of people's private and confidential information, such as credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, drivers and other license numbers, or any other information that is not publicly accessible. Keep in mind that in most cases, information that is already available elsewhere on the Internet or in public records is not considered to be private or confidential under our policies.

Additionally, do not post or distribute images or videos of minors without the necessary consent from their legal representatives. Report a violation.

Keep it legal. Do not use our service to engage in illegal activities or promote dangerous and illegal acts. For instance, do not facilitate the promotion or sale of regulated or illegal drugs. If we are notified of unlawful activities, we will take appropriate action, which may include removing access to some of our products, your Google Account, or reporting you to the relevant authorities.

Respect copyright laws. Do not share copyrighted content without authorization or provide links to sites where your readers can obtain unauthorized downloads of copyrighted content. It is our policy to respond to clear notices of alleged copyright infringement. Repeated infringement of intellectual property rights, including copyright, will result in account termination. If you see a violation of Google's copyright policies, report copyright infringement.

Policies for the template gallery

Google Docs may contain galleries that may present third party content ("Content Galleries"). Content Galleries include without limitation the Templates Gallery and any gallery that Google chooses at its discretion to make available to you.

The content and information in the Content Galleries ("Gallery Content"), such as templates, was created by Google or by third parties. As between you and the creators of Gallery Content, any intellectual property or proprietary rights remain with the creators.

The Gallery Content: (a) is meant to serve as a suggestion only; and (b) is not a substitute for professional advice or specific, authoritative knowledge or direction.

Google does not promise that the Gallery Content will work for your purposes, or that it is free from viruses, bugs, or other defects. The Gallery Content is provided "as is" and without warranty of any kind. You alone bear the risk of using Gallery Content. Google and its suppliers provide no express warranties, guarantees and conditions with regard to the Gallery Content. To the extent permitted under applicable law, Google excludes the implied warranties and conditions of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, workmanlike effort, title and non-infringement.

If you choose to submit Content to become part of the Content Galleries, you direct and authorize Google and its affiliates to host, link to, and otherwise incorporate your Gallery Submission into Google Docs, and you grant Google and its end users a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to exercise the rights in the Gallery Submission, as stated below:

to reproduce the Gallery Submission;

to create and reproduce derivative works of the Gallery Submission;

to display publicly and distribute copies of the Gallery Submission;

to display publicly and distribute copies of derivative works of the Gallery Submission.

You agree that your license to Google end users will be perpetual. Furthermore, for the avoidance of doubt, Google reserves, and you grant Google, the right to syndicate the Gallery Submission submitted by you through Google Docs and use that Gallery Submission in connection with any of the Services offered by Google. You retain the right to stop distributing the Gallery Submission through the Google Docs Content Galleries at any time; provided, however that any such election will not serve to withdraw the licenses granted to Google end users under these Terms of Service. In order to stop distributing the Gallery Submission through the Google Docs Content Galleries, you must utilize the removal functions provided within the Service, in which case the Gallery Submission removal will be effective within a reasonable amount of time.

You represent and warrant that (a) you own or have obtained the necessary legal rights to provide all Gallery Submissions you submit through Google Docs, and will maintain these rights for as long as the Gallery Submission is available to Google end users; and (b) all of the Gallery Submissions you submit through Google Docs abide by the posted Program Policies.

Google claims no ownership over any Gallery Submission you submit through Google Docs. You retain copyright and any other rights, including all intellectual property rights, you already hold in the Gallery Submission. You agree that you are responsible for protecting and enforcing those rights and that Google has no obligation to do so on your behalf.

You agree that you are solely responsible for (and that Google has no responsibility to you or to any third party for) any Gallery Submission that you submit. Google is not in any way responsible for the subsequent use or misuse by Google end users who access your Gallery Submission.

Google reserves the right to remove any or all Gallery Submissions at its sole discretion.

How Google can use your template submissions

If you choose to submit Content to become part of the Content Galleries, you direct and authorize Google and its affiliates to host, link to, and otherwise incorporate your Gallery Submission into Google Docs, and you grant Google and its end users a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to exercise the rights in the Gallery Submission, as stated below:

to reproduce the Gallery Submission;

to create and reproduce derivative works of the Gallery Submission;

to display publicly and distribute copies of the Gallery Submission;

to display publicly and distribute copies of derivative works of the Gallery Submission.

You agree that your license to Google end users will be perpetual. Furthermore, for the avoidance of doubt, Google reserves, and you grant Google, the right to syndicate the Gallery Submission submitted by you through Google Docs and use that Gallery Submission in connection with any of the Services offered by Google. You retain the right to stop distributing the Gallery Submission through the Google Docs Content Galleries at any time; provided, however that any such election will not serve to withdraw the licenses granted to Google end users under these Terms of Service. In order to stop distributing the Gallery Submission through the Google Docs Content Galleries, you must utilize the removal functions provided within the Service, in which case the Gallery Submission removal will be effective within a reasonable amount of time.

You represent and warrant that (a) you own or have obtained the necessary legal rights to provide all Gallery Submissions you submit through Google Docs, and will maintain these rights for as long as the Gallery Submission is available to Google end users; and (b) all of the Gallery Submissions you submit through Google Docs abide by the posted Program Policies.

Google claims no ownership over any Gallery Submission you submit through Google Docs. You retain copyright and any other rights, including all intellectual property rights, you already hold in the Gallery Submission. You agree that you are responsible for protecting and enforcing those rights and that Google has no obligation to do so on your behalf.

You agree that you are solely responsible for (and that Google has no responsibility to you or to any third party for) any Gallery Submission that you submit. Google is not in any way responsible for the subsequent use or misuse by Google end users who access your Gallery Submission.

Google reserves the right to remove any or all Gallery Submissions at its sole discretion.

Translations of our policies are provided for your convenience. If there is a conflict between the text of this policy and the text of the English language version of the policy, the text of the English language version of the policy will take precedence.

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Mary is a Docs & Drive expert and author of this help page. Leave her feedback below about the page.